Pied-billed Grebe

Description:

Pied-billed grebes are small, stocky, and short-necked. They are 31–38 cm (12–15 in) in length, with a wingspan of 45–62 cm (18–24 in) and weigh 253–568 g (8.9–20.0 oz).[8] They are mainly brown, with a darker crown and back.[9] Their brown color serves as camouflage in the marshes they live in.[10] They do not have white under their wings when flying, like other grebes.[11] Their undertail is white[9] and they have a short, blunt chicken-like bill that is a light grey color,[2][9] which in summer is encircled by a broad black band (hence the name). In the summer, its throat is black.[2] There is no sexual dimorphism.[11] Juveniles have black and white stripes and look more like winter adults.[2] This grebe does not have webbed feet. Its toes have lobes that come out of the side of each toe. These lobes allow for easy paddling.[2] When flying, the feet appear behind the body due to the feet's placement in the far back of the body.[9] It may be confused with the least grebe, although that species is smaller and has a thinner bill. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied-billed...